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Last night my teacher gave me a great tip.
I'm learning a piece with lots of large intervals so my hand needs to stretch during much of the piece.

Unfortunately, I tend to keep my hand stretched the whole time to remain in position for the next upcoming intervals. I have trouble remembering to relax between stretches because my brain is all used up trying to figure out how to play this hard piece.

To help remind me to return my hand to a more natural non-stretched position between stretches he recommended I occasionally practice with a rubber band on my hand, positioned over all 5 fingers where the four meet the hand.
It gives a gentle reminder to relax between stretches.

Have you heard of this?

[ January 09, 2002: Message edited by: kenny ]

As I understand very few teachers do that... but I see nothing wrong with that practice.

Interesting. Keeping the hand stretched between playing chords or wide intervals is a common tension source.

And ... you can snap the rubber band after playing false notes as "aversion therapy."

Ha Ha Ha Ha. Thanks, MacDuff... you supplied a great laugh for the day--I needed one.